Process and machine for producing foodstuff particles

ABSTRACT

Foodstuff particles are produced with ragged ends by tearing them from the ends of strips of the foodstuff by bending the ends.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a process of producing foodstuff particles.

The acceptability of food to humans is influenced by aesthetic factorssuch as visual appearance and mouth-feel.

This invention is suitable for the production of particles from fibrouscomposite foodstuffs. When a mass of such foodstuffs is deformed andfractured, fibre "pull-out" results in the piece having a natural tornappearance.

Examples of such foodstuffs are vegetable based meat analogues andreconstituted meat systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Foodstuffs of high nutritional value produced from fungi, for exampleFusarium, suitably Fusarium graminearum may be treated by the invention.Such products may comprise fibrous fungal material in a matrix of gelledhydrocolloid. We have found that they are visually highly acceptable tohumans if they have at least one ragged and at least one substantiallysmooth surface. Products comprising Fusarium graminearum are sold byMarlow Foods Limited under the trade mark "QUORN".

This invention comprises a process of producing foodstuff particles ofimproved consumer acceptability which comprises forming a foodstuff intoa shape (for example a strip, which may be a sheet or rod) gripping oneend of the shape by gripping means which comprises one or more surfacescontacting the shape close to one end of the shape and, whilst sogripped but with the edge of the shape protruding unsupported at aposition beyond the said gripping means, at least partly tearing theedge from the remainder of the shape by bending it thereby imparting aragged edge to the shape and to the edge.

The shape may be sliced longitudinally for example with rotatingcircular blades before the shape is torn as aforesaid and preferablybefore it is gripped by the gripping means if the shape is wider thanthe desired width of the particles. Alternatively over-long edges tornfrom the shape may be fed to a process as above described a second timeand pieces torn off at an angle, for example a right angle, to the firsttear. The latter procedure allows further ragged edges to be produced.

The process may be carried out intermittently or continuously. In theformer case the shape is advanced stepwise and may be gripped onlywhilst stationary, the bending and tearing action being carried out whenthe shape is so gripped. However, it is preferred that the process becarried out continuously. This may be effected by advancing the shapebetween two continuously moving bands which grip the shape and which mayconveniently feed the shape to a supporting ledge at which the tearingaction may take place; this is desirable if the required bending actioncannot be readily accommodated within the curvature available at theoutlet end of the bands.

It may be found that a bending action does not sever the edge from theshape completely in that the surface which is not stretched during thebending action may not tear readily. It is preferred in this case to cutthe untorn part thereby severing the edge or preferably to contact theuntorn part with a blunt member thereby imparting a tearing action atthe untorn part and thus severing the edge.

The bending action may be effected by one side of a blade which alsoimparts a localised tearing action at any part of the edge which is notsevered by the main bending action. The blade may be rotated about anaxis parallel to the edge of the shape and preferably contacts the edgeof the shape at an acute angle to the shape so that the edge meets theflat of the blade rather than the edge of the blade in the firstinstance. The edge of the blade however preferably sweeps closely past asupport surface for the edge of the shape on the side at which bendingtakes place and thereby imparts a final tearing action to any part whichis not torn previously at that position.

One or more for example six such blades may be rotated about a commonaxis, each acting in turn to perform the above process.

The axis of rotation of the blade is suitably out of the plane of theshape so that the blade contacts the edge of the strip at an acute angleso as to cause it to meet the edge of the shape as described above. Theaxis of rotation may be adjustable in order to allow variation of thetearing effect. If desired the blades may be angled; for example theplane of the outer portion of the blade may be at an angle of 15° to 45°to the plane of the inner portion. This improves the device if it isdesired that the axis of rotation of the blades be in the plane of thebillet.

The invention also comprises a machine which comprises means at leastpartly to tear an edge from a layer of foodstuff in stiff condition bybending the edge thereby imparting a ragged edge to the layer and thetorn edge. Suitably the machine comprises means for tearing the edgewhich acts at least in part by bending the edge of the layer with theflat of a blade. A machine according to the invention comprises meansfor gripping a layer of a foodstuff close to its end, with an edge ofthe layer protruding unsupported at a position beyond the grippedposition and means for at least partly tearing the edge from the layerby bending it thereby imparting a ragged edge to the layer and the edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

One form of the invention will now be described with reference to thedrawing which is a schematic representation.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A moving belt 1 carries shapes of mycoprotein containing foodstuff inthe form of billets 2 past an array of transverse rotary cutting blades3 running at the same speed as belt 1 and touching to give completecutting. These slice the billets into longitudinal strips.

From the blades 3 the billets are carried to gripping belt 4 and areadvanced between belts 1 and 4 whilst firmly gripped to beyond abridging nose 5. When an edge of desired dimensions projects beyond thenose 5 it is struck by a flat surface of a blade 6 of a rotating bladeassembly 7 thus bending the edge over the nose and tearing it. The edgeof blade 6 sweeps closely by the nose 5 and tears any remaining untornpart of the edge of the sheet free and the edge falls into a receiverbelow the nose (not shown) which may be for example a conveyor beltcarrying it to a different location or a hopper.

The belts 1 and 4 may be air cushioned to provide gripping pressure onthe billets. The blades 3 are suitably provided with means to stripadhering material from them and the belt 4 is suitably adjustable forheight to permit different thicknesses of billets to be accommodated.The speed of rotation of the blade assembly 7 and of the belts 1 and 4may also be varied to permit particles of different sizes to beproduced.

The edges of the sheet normally separate into particles along the cutsmade by blades 3 but any particles which remain connected may be readilyseparated for example by a rotating spiked cylinder.

It will be understood that continuous sheets of material may also beprocessed or that several billets of sheets may be processed side byside. The belts may be tensioned and driven in a conventional manner.

We claim:
 1. A process of producing foodstuff particles with raggededges which comprises tearing an edge from a layer of a fibrousfoodstuff in stiff condition by bending the edge thereby deforming andfracturing it and pulling-out fibre particles thus imparting a raggededge to the layer and the torn edge.
 2. A process of producing foodstuffparticles as claimed in claim 1 which comprises forming a foodstuff intoa shape, gripping one end of the shape by gripping means contacting theshape close to one end of the shape and whilst so gripped but with theedge of the shape protruding unsupported at a position beyond the saidgripping means, at least partly tearing the edge from the remainder ofthe shape by bending it thereby imparting a ragged edge to the shape andto the edge.
 3. A process as claimed in claim 2 in which the shape is astrip.
 4. A process as claimed in claim 2 in which the shape is flat andis severed longitudinally by rotating circular blades before it is torn.5. A process as claimed in claim 4 in which the shape is continuouslyadvanced toward the tearing position.
 6. A process as claimed in claim 5in which the shape is advanced by means of one or more moving belts. 7.A process as claimed in any of claims 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 in which theshape is gripped near to the tearing position whilst it is torn.
 8. Aprocess as claimed in claim 7 in which the shape is gripped above andbelow by moving belts.
 9. A process as claimed in claim 2 in which theedge is bent and torn by contacting it with one side of a blade whichcontacts the shape at an acute angle to the shape so that the edge meetsthe flat of the blade rather than its edge in the first instance.
 10. Aprocess as claimed in claim 9 in which the shape is fed over a supportand the blade sweeps closely past the edge of the support.
 11. A processas claimed in claim 10 in which at least one blade which rotates aroundan axis is present.
 12. A process as claimed in claim 11 in which atleast two blades which rotate around a common axis are present, saidblades acting in succession to contact said shape.
 13. A process asclaimed in claim 9 in which the blade is angled, the shape contactingportion of the blade being at an angle of 15° to 45° to the plane of therest of the blade, in which the shape is a strip and in which the bladeis rotated so that its axis of rotation is substantially in the plane ofthe strip.
 14. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the foodstuff isa vegetable matter based meat analogue or a reconstituted meat.
 15. Aprocess as claimed in claim 14 in which the foodstuff comprises anedible fungus.
 16. A process as claimed in claim 15 in which the fungusis Fusarium.
 17. A machine for producing foodstuff particles with raggededges which comprises means for gripping a layer of a foodstuff close toits end with an edge of the layer protruding unsupported at a positionbeyond the gripped position and means for at least partly tearing theedge from the layer by bending it thereby imparting a ragged edge to thelayer and the edge.
 18. A machine according to claim 17 which comprisesmeans at least partly to tear an edge from a layer of a foodstuff instiff condition by bending the edge which means comprises a blade tocontact the shape at an acute angle to the shape so that the edge of thelayer meets the flat of the blade rather than the edge of the blade inthe first instance thereby imparting a ragged edge to the layer and thetorn edge.